Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Navy
Matlack Tallies Twice More as Bucknell Women's Soccer Outruns Navy, 3-1
10/17/2009 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 17, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Christa Matlack (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) staked Bucknell to an early 2-0 lead and Brooke Stokes (Gladwyne, Pa./The Shipley School) added a key insurance goal in the second half to help the Bucknell women's soccer team to an important 3-1 win over Navy on Senior Day Saturday at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
In a clash of two teams that have accounted for each of the last three Patriot League regular-season titles, Bucknell produced perhaps its most complete 90 minutes of soccer of the season. The Bison finished with a 17-10 shot advantage, posted three goals against a team that had outscored its opponents 31-8 on the season, and with the exception of a few dangerous moments on corner kicks, kept the ball out of harm's way defensively.
Bucknell won its third straight contest to improve to 8-6-1 on the season and 3-1 in the Patriot League. Navy lost for only the third time all season, falling to 11-3-2 overall and 2-1-1 in the league. The Bison can move into a tie for first place in the Patriot League standings if American loses at Colgate Saturday night.
After a pregame ceremony honoring its six seniors playing in their final regular-season home game, Bucknell came flying out of the gates. The Bison almost scored 90 seconds into the game when Matlack slipped a pass to a wide open Chelsea McGorry (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill Regional) in the box. Navy keeper Beth Reed made a tough save, and Kelliann Doherty (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) sent the rebound wide.
Bucknell kept up the pressure, though, and cashed in at the 5:16 mark when center midfielder Kayla Yee (Centennial, Colo./Heritage) played a perfect through ball to Matlack behind the defense. Matlack dribbled around the Mids' keeper and tapped it in to put the Bison on the board first.
Just after Reed had to scramble to make a diving save on Yee's slick header on a corner kick, Matlack struck again in the 28th minute. Molly Linhart (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) dribbled up the middle of the field and passed wide to McGorry on the left side. McGorry crossed the ball into the box, where Matlack settled the bouncing ball, turned and fired a high shot past Reed from about 12 yards out.
Bucknell nearly made it 3-0 in the 38th minute, but Reed turned aside a two-shot flurry from Linhart and Yee.
That proved to be important when Navy pinballed in a shot just 3:27 before halftime. After a corner kick, Brittany White sent the ball in from the top of the 18. Brittany Fruin, standing at the right post, volleyed the ball across the goal mouth to Katelyn George, who punched it in from close range to make it a 2-1 contest.
Navy had another corner kick before the halftime break, but Shelly Moeller's header went over the bar.
Bucknell gathered a much-needed insurance goal only 6:22 into the second half. Caitlin Holtz (Freehold, N.J./The Peddie School) sent a pass from midfield diagonally to Stokes in wide-open space along the right side. Stokes dribbled unchallenged all the way to the top of the box and unleashed a perfectly placed shot into the left side netting, just past the outstretched fingertips of Reed.
It was Stokes' second goal of the season and the fourth assist for Holtz, who now has 13 in her career, moving her up to eighth on Bucknell's career list.
Navy put three more shots on frame the rest of the way, but all were fairly harmless and Kathryn Sutton (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) easily gobbled them up. Sutton finished with four saves on the day, while Reed had seven.
Reed came into the game fifth nationally in both goals-against average (0.46) and save percentage (.903). Navy had posted shutouts in 10 of its first 15 games of the season, including each of the last four. The Mids had not allowed a goal in their first three Patriot League games, and only James Madison had scored as many as three goals in a game against them this season.
The 3-1 result ends a string of six straight one-goal games played between Bucknell and Navy.
Matlack and McGorry now have points in all three games during this current three-game winning streak. Matlack has scored two goals in three of her last five matches, and she has 14 points in her last five outings.
Matlack now has seven goals on the season and 23 in her career, moving her up to sole possession of eighth place on Bucknell's all-time list. She also moved up a spot into seven on Bucknell career points list with 57.
The win over Navy had added importance considering the Bison will now play their final three Patriot League matches on the road. The stretch drive begins on Thursday night at Army at 7 p.m.
